Bending die

ABSTRACT

A bending die includes an upper die base fixing a punch, a lower die base, a stripping block, a bending block and a gasket assembly. The stripping block is on the lower die base and under the punch and can elastically move relative to the lower die base. The bending block includes a first sidewall and a second sidewall, wherein the first sidewall is contiguous with the stripping block and the second sidewall is connected to the lower die base via screws. The gasket assembly between the second sidewall and the lower die base provides adjustment of clearance of the bending die.

BACKGROUND

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to dies and, specifically, to a bending die.

2. Description of related art

One of the most significant factors that affect the precision of workpieces during bending process is die clearance between a punch and a die base of a bending die. The precision of the workpieces is increasingly reduced as the die clearance becomes larger. However, if the die clearance is too small, the workpieces cannot easily be removed from the bending die and are apt to be scratched. During production, when bending different workpieces, an operator must adjust the die clearance of the bending die.

Referring to FIG. 6, a perspective view of a conventional bending die, the bending die includes an upper die 10 and a lower die 20. The upper die 10 includes a fixing portion 11, an upper die base 12 having a punch 14 and a gasket 13 located between the fixing plate 11 and the upper die base 12. The lower die 20 includes a lower die base 22, a stripping block 23 elastically connected to the lower die base 22, and a bending block 24 fixed on the lower die base 22, wherein the bending block 24 is contiguous with the stripping block 23. Clearance of the bending die is adjusted by modifying different gaskets 13 with various standard widths. When the die clearance needs to be adjusted, the upper die base 12 is first removed from the upper die 10, gasket 13 is modified to a proper width, and the upper die base 12 and the gasket 13 are fixed to a proper width on the fixing plate 11. After changing the clearance, the bending die must again be readjusted, an inconvenient and inefficient requirement.

Therefore, a heretofore unaddressed need exists in the industry to address the described limitations.

SUMMARY

According to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, a bending die comprises an upper die base fixing a punch, a lower die base, a stripping block, a bending block and a gasket assembly. The stripping block is on the lower die base, opposite the punch and elastically connected to the lower die base, with a bay between the lower die base and the stripping. The bending block is received in the bay and fixed to the lower die base. The gasket assembly is received in the bay between the bending block and the lower die base.

Other advantages and novel features will become more apparent from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a bending die in accordance with an exemplary embodiment;

FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of a lower die of the bending die of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a gasket assembly of the bending die of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a bending block of the bending die of FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is a plane view of a second sidewall of the bending block of the bending die of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a conventional bending die.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS

Referring to FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, a bending die comprises an upper die base 50 and a lower die base 60. The upper die base 50 and the lower die base 60 are both installed in a bending machine (not shown), opposite to each other.

The upper die base 50 is configured with a punch 52 via a plurality of screws 522. The lower die base 60 defines a groove 62 corresponding to the punch 52. The groove 62 receives a stripping block 64 therein which is elastically connected to the lower die base 60 via a spring 65 between a bottom 642 of the stripping block 64 and the lower die base 60. The lower die base 60 further includes a fixing portion 67, wherein a bay between the fixing portion 67 and the stripping block 64 receives a bending block 66 and a gasket assembly 68. The bending block 66 comprises a first sidewall 662 and a second sidewall 664. The first sidewall 662 is close to the stripping block 64 and maintains a distance from the stripping block 64, manifested as the die clearance of the bending die. The second sidewall 664 is close to the fixing portion 67. The gasket assembly 68 comprises at least one gasket between the second sidewall 664 and the fixing portion 67 to adjust the die clearance.

In this embodiment, the second sidewall 664 defines at least one screw hole 6642 arranged along a central line on a horizontal axis thereof. The gasket assembly 68 defines at least one opening 682 (referring to FIG. 3). The fixing portion 67 defines at least one through hole 672. The screw hole 6642, the opening 682 and the through hole 672 communicate with each other. At least one screw 674 penetrates the through hole 672 and the opening 682 and is received the screw hole 6642 to screw the bending block 66, the gasket assembly 68 and the fixing portion 67 together. Preferably, each screw hole 6642 is a through hole.

The gasket assembly 68 comprises at least one gasket of a fixed width. The die clearance of the bending die is adjustable by addition or removal of one or more gaskets. When the die clearance of the bending die is to be adjusted, the screw 674 is withdrawn and removed, one or more gaskets are added or removed as necessary to change the width of the gasket assembly 68, and the screw 674 is tightened. As a result, only the width of the gasket assembly 68 needs to be adjusted by addition or removal of gaskets, with no requirement for removal or final readjustment of the bending die, convenience and efficiency are enhanced considerably.

Referring to FIGS. 4 and 5, in this embodiment, the bending block 66 includes four bending edges, one of which defines a curved groove 666 receiving a column 6662 therein, while the other three bending edges 667, 668, 669 have different fillers R1, R2, R3, respectively. When workpieces having different surface precision requirements are to be bent, a specific bending edge can be employed for each workpiece by turning the bending block 66. Thus, utilization of the bending block 66 is improved.

During bending, when the curved groove 666 matching the column 6662 is used as the bending edge, the surface of the workpiece is no longer susceptible to scratching. The workpiece is positioned on the bending block 66, the upper die base 50 moves down, the workpiece is bent by the pressure of the punch 52, and the stripping block 64 moves down together with the workpiece. In the bending process, the workpiece brings a shear force to bear on the column 6662 which then rotates in the curved groove 666 accordingly. Under this condition, no friction occurs between the workpiece and the column 6662, and the surface of the workpiece is no longer susceptible to scratching. After bending the workpiece, the upper die base 50 and the punch 52 moves up, the stripping block 64 moves up due to the elasticity of the spring 65, thereby removing the workpiece from the lower die base 60.

While exemplary embodiments have been described above, it should be understood that they have been presented by way of example only and not by way of limitation. Thus, the breadth and scope of the present invention should not be limited by the above-described exemplary embodiments, but should be defined only in accordance with the following claims and their equivalents. 

1. A bending die, comprising: an upper die base, configured with a punch; a lower die base; a stripping block, corresponding to the punch and being elastically connected to the lower die base, a bay being defined between the lower die base and the stripping; a bending block, received in the bay and fixed on the lower die base, and maintaining a distance relative to the stripping block; and a gasket assembly, comprising at least one gasket received between the bending block and the lower die base to adjust the distance between the bending block and the stripping block.
 2. The bending die as claimed in claim 1, wherein the bending block defines at least one screw hole, the lower die base defines at least one through hole corresponding with the at least one screw hole, wherein at least one screw penetrates the at least one through hole and is received in the at least one screw hole.
 3. The bending die as claimed in claim 2, wherein the at least one gasket defines at least one opening corresponding with the at least one screw hole.
 4. The bending die as claimed in claim 2, wherein the at least one screw hole is a through hole.
 5. The bending die as claimed in claim 1, wherein the bending block comprises four bending edges, one of which defines a curved groove receiving a column therein.
 6. The bending die as claimed in claim 5, wherein other three bending edges have different fillets.
 7. The bending die as claimed in claim 1, wherein the distance is adjusted by addition or removal of one or more gaskets.
 8. A bending die, comprising: an upper die base, configured with a punch; a lower die base; a stripping block, corresponding to the punch and being elastically connected to the lower die base; a bending block, fixed on the lower die base and comprising a first sidewall close to the stripping block and a second sidewall close to the lower die base; and a gasket assembly, located between the second sidewall and the lower die base and comprising at least one gasket, wherein clearance of the bending die is adjustable by addition or removal of the at least one gasket.
 9. The bending die as claimed in claim 8, wherein the bending block defines at least one screw hole, the lower die base defines at least one through hole corresponding with the at least one screw hole, and wherein at least one screw penetrates the at least one through hole and is received the at least one screw hole.
 10. The bending die as claimed in claim 9, wherein the at least one gasket defines at least one opening corresponding with the at least one screw hole.
 11. The bending die as claimed in claim 9, wherein the at least one screw hole is a through hole.
 12. The bending die as claimed in claim 8, wherein the bending block comprises four bending edges, one of which defines a curved groove receiving a column therein.
 13. The bending die as claimed in claim 12, wherein other three bending edges have different fillets. 